His Holiness Patriarchy Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia is the fifteenth Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church since the establishment of the Patriarchal office in Russia (1589). Patriarch Alexy was born Alexey Mikhailovich Ridiger on February 23, 1929 in Tallinn, Estonia, into a family of deeply religious people. 

As a child, Alexey served in the church under the guidance of his spiritual father Archpriest Ioann Bogoyavlensky, later Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia. He also attended the Russian secondary school in Tallinn. 

1944 to 1947 - Alexey served as the senior subdeacon of Archbishop Pavel (Dmitrievsky) of Tallinn and Estonia, and later of Bishop Isidor.

After the end of World War II, subdeacon Alexey was instructed to prepare the Cathedral of St.Alexander Nevsky in Tallinn for its reopening so that divine services could once more be held there.

May 1945 to October 1946 -  Alexey was an altar boy and sacristan of the Cathedral.

1946 - Alexey served as psalm-reader at St.Simeon's Church

1947 - psalm-reader at the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Tallinn.

1949 - graduated from the Leningrad Theological Seminary with honors

April 15, 1950 - Alexey ordained a deacon

April 17, 1950 - ordained a priest and appointed Rector of the Church of the Epiphany in Johvi, Tallinn diocese.

1953 - Fr.Alexey received his Candidate of Theology from the Leningrad Theological Seminary

July 15, 1957 -  Fr.Alexey was appointed Rector of the Cathedral of the Assumption in Tallinn and Dean of the Tartu district.

August 17, 1958 - elevated to the rank of archpriest.

March 30, 1959 - appointed Dean of the united Tartu-Vilyandis deanery of the Tallinn diocese.

March 3, 1961 - took monastic vows in the Trinity Cathedral of the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St.Sergius.

August 14, 1961 - Hieromonk Alexy was nominated Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia and entrusted with temporary administration of the Riga diocese.

August 21, 1961 - elevated to the rank of Archimandrite.

September 3, 1961 - consecrated Bishop of Tallinn and Estonia in the Cathedral of St.Alexander Nevsky in Tallinn.

November 14, 1961 - appointed deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.

October 17, 1963 - 1979 - member of the Holy Synod Commission on Christian Unity and Interchurch Relations

June 23, 1964 - Bishop Alexy was elevated to the rank of Archbishop.

December 22, 1964 - appointed Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate and permanent member of the Holy Synod. Alexy held this position until July 20. 1986.

February 25, 1968 - elevated to the rank of Metropolitan.

March 10, 1970 -1 September 1986 - supervised the Pensions Committee (the church committee that provides pensions to the clergy and employees of church organizations, as well as to their widows and children)

June 18, 1971 - in consideration of his assiduous work for the carrying out of the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church of 1971 Metropolitan Alexy was honoured with the right of wearing the second panagia.

December 23, 1980 - appointed deputy chairman of the Commission for the Preparation and Execution of the Celebration of the Millennium of the Baptism of Russia.

May 25, 1983 - appointed chairman of the Executive Commission for the Transfer of the Danilov Monastery, organization and execution of all works for its restoration and construction of the Spiritual and Administrative Centre of the Russian Orthodox Church on its territory.

June 29, 1986 - appointed Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod and entrusted with the administration of the Tallinn diocese.

June 7, 1990 - elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. His enthronement took place on June 10, 1990.

Despite his age, Patriarch Alexy II is quite healthy and leads an active political life. He is frequently seen on Russian TV, meeting with politicians and expressing opinions that are usually in line with political opinions of the President of Russia.

last updated October 14, 2005